Ep. 229 - Information as a Solution to the Hard Problem of Consciousness w/Dr. Garrett Mindt

Apr 25, 2023

Dr. Garrett Mindt, a program director at the Center for the Future Mind, dives deep into the hard problem of consciousness. He explores integrated information theory and its implications for understanding reality and identity. The conversation addresses the ethical considerations of consciousness in AI, advocating for broad moral perspectives beyond human intelligence. They also ponder the nature of machine consciousness and question whether artificial entities can truly possess awareness, inviting listeners to rethink their notions of existence.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Exploring Consciousness Through Information Theory

01:37 • 15min

Exploring Consciousness and Information

16:33 • 29min

Bridging Philosophy and Science in AI Discussions

45:11 • 3min

Intelligence vs. Consciousness: Ethical Considerations

47:42 • 13min

Ethical Considerations and Scientific Exploration of Cerebral Organoids

01:00:22 • 4min

Exploring Machine Consciousness

01:04:36 • 14min

Exploring Consciousness and Simulation Theory

01:19:01 • 10min

In episode 229 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Garrett Mindt of Florida Atlantic University, and the program director for the Center for the Future Mind, to discuss the hard problem of consciousness, neutral monism, and how information might help us understand the metaphysics of mind. If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_pensees If you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Come talk with the Pensées community on Discord: dsc.gg/parkerspensees Sub to my Substack to read my thoughts on my episodes: https://parknotes.substack.com/ Check out my blog posts: https://parkersettecase.com/ Check out my Parker's Pensées YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA Check out my other YouTube channel on my frogs and turtles: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParkerSettecase Check me out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trendsettercase Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkers_pensees/0:00 - Who is Garrett Mindt? 3:15 - What is Integrated Information Theory? 8:34 - Is Information Objective or Observer Relative? 12:57 - What is most fundamental in reality? (neutral monism) 16:37 - How does information have intentionality? 22:20 - Could Ant-Man get down to the information level? 27:22 - The hard problem of consciousness and information 33:09 - Theories of Mind 37:50 - What are 'you' on ontic structural realism? 41:55 - 3D printing Garrett's structure? 47:47 - Intelligence and consciousness come apart 52:54 - do dogs have access consciousness? 57:14 - testing for consciousness, locked in syndrome, mini-brains 1:05:43 - Do we need to make isomorphs of the human brain to make AI? 1:10:20 - Ontologically speaking, what would an artificial thinker even be? 1:14:36 - Does AI own its concepts? (Semantic Externalism?) 1:23:03 - Simulation Hypothesis on Ontic Structural Realism 1:25:25 - Why do particular structures produce consciousness?